Brachystelma pulchellum is a dwarf perennial geophyte growing from a large flattened discoid tuber (caudex) easily recognized from its creeping growth and the leaves diminishing in size to-wards the stem tips, as well as from the rather small purple, hairless flowers. The corolla is shallowly saucer-shaped. It is unusual in that the linear-lanceolate sepals are conspicuously longer than the united portion of the corolla and protrude well beyond the sinuses as seen from above. Unother of the characteristic features of its truly prostrate habit is the marked reduction in the size of the leaves and length of the internodes towards the end of the flowering period.